Medical Minute: Celiac Disease & Summer Camp Session 1

Welcome back to the Medical Minute! This month, we are joined by Dr. Monique Germone, a Pediatric Psychologist with the Colorado Center for Celiac Disease at Children’s Hospital. Below, Dr. Germone explains how Celiac Disease is handled at camp and why campers with Celiac Disease benefit from going to a camp that offers a gluten-free menu.

“I’m Dr. Monique Germone, a Pediatric Psychologist with the Colorado Center for Celiac Disease at Children’s Hospital Colorado. I first learned about Roundup River Ranch in 2015 directly from the families we serve. They spoke so highly of the camp experience where kids got to eat completely gluten-free, so they didn’t have to worry about their food, so they could focus on building friendships, and of course having fun. This year will be no different, Roundup River Ranch’s first week will be the Gastrointestinal and Liver Conditions and Celiac Disease week, which is completely gluten-free. Did you also know that there’s research to show the power of camp for kids with Celiac Disease? It’s true. The studies have shown that having a completely gluten-free camp week helps kids to focus less and worry less on their food, and focus more on building the friendships that help them to have a positive outlook on their condition.”

Diagnoses served during this first Summer Camp Session include: Liver Disease, Liver Transplant, IBD/IBS (Crohn’s and Colitis), G-Tube Dependence, Colorectal Conditions, Short Gut Syndrome, Hirschsprung’s, Gastroparesis, Chronic Pancreatitis, and Celiac Disease.

Our first Family Camp Session in 2026 is also entirely gluten-free, serving campers with Gastrointestinal & Liver Conditions including Celiac Disease. Not sure if you qualify? Reach out to our medical team at medteam@roundupriverranch.org!